A/N: Wow, I hadn't realized how long it's been since I updated this story until I saw the date I last posted, which was May of 2020! I'm so sorry it's been so long. A lot has happened since then and I know I've probably lost some readers, but for those of you who have stuck around, thank you so much for your patience. I hope you enjoy the chapter ️
"Hold on, love." Killian steps back as he eyes Granny's diner like he's staring his worst nightmare in the face. He glances at Emma as confusion furrows her brows. "This is where you're taking me?"
She nods. "Yeah. They have the best strawberry cheesecake pancakes. Trust me—a sugar coma is way better than an alcohol coma."
His expression clouds with hesitation as he shakes his head. "I can't go in. Ruby works here."
"Not tonight."
Killian lifts a brow. "How do you know?"
Damn.
Emma curses herself as she keeps a straight face. Killian's not the one who told her he went to her apartment to drop off her things; David did. "Because in the several texts Mary Margaret sent me, she mentioned Ruby was helping her with the invitations. Ruby needed a distraction."
"Oh." The creases in his forehead deepen. "Then why does Mary Margaret need David's help, too?"
"I don't know," Emma snaps, louder than intended. Good God, this guy asks a lot of questions. "Probably because when Mary Margaret freaks out," her eyes widen and she makes hand gestures for emphasis, "she freaks out."
Killian scratches his ear as he looks inside the diner. "Still, I'm sure everyone who works here has heard the news and I'm not sure I want to—"
Emma grabs his hand and pulls him inside, not willing to argue about it, mostly because she doesn't have a back-up plan. She didn't want to make it seem like she pre-orchestrated this whole thing. He relents reluctantly and lets her lead him to a booth. "I'm not taking no for an answer. If you've ever had their strawberry cheesecake pancakes, you would understand."
"I'm afraid I haven't."
"Well, you're in for a treat. It's good comfort food."
They sit across from each other, and when Ashley tries to give them menus, Emma holds up her hand to reject them. "We already know what we want. I'll have my usual hot cocoa and he'll have an order of strawberry cheesecake pancakes with extra everything and chocolate milk."
Killian doesn't argue with her about it.
"Okay." Ashley puts on a smile that fades when she looks at Killian, her eyes clouding with sympathy. "I heard what happened between you and Ruby. I'm so sorry."
Killian pins Emma with an "I told you so" glare. She offers an apologetic smile in return. "Thanks, Ashley, but I'm fine."
"Really? Because you don't look—"
"It's okay, Ash," Emma interjects, waving off Ashley's words with her hand. "He just needs to shove down his emotions with a heaping plate of sugar and shame, wash it down with chocolate milk, and then he'll be perfect."
Ashley glances between them suspiciously. "Wait, is this your way of getting back at Ruby?" she asks Killian as she points at Emma with the menus in her hand.
"No, I'm not getting back at Ruby," he grumbles through gritted teeth. He looks at Emma. "She's a friend."
She's not sure why, but her heart warms at the sentiment.
"Oh, I didn't realize you two knew each other."
"Why wouldn't we?" Emma asks defensively. "It is a small town, and well, we both know Ruby."
"True, I've just never seen you together."
Emma refrains from sighing in exasperation. Why is everyone a fucking detective all of a sudden?
Maybe Killian was right—they should've gone somewhere else.
"We just met tonight," Killian says. "She works at the Rabbit Hole, now."
"Oh, I didn't know that," Ashley says in surprise.
"Can we get that hot cocoa and those pancakes now?" Emma asks impatiently, growing frustrated and a little panicked. This is exactly why she always meets her targets outside of town where people don't know her and won't ask a bunch of prying questions.
"Of course. Coming right up," she assures before walking away.
Ashley returns a moment later with their beverages. Killian just stares blankly at his chocolate milk as Emma dips her finger in the whipped cream from her hot cocoa and brings it to her mouth, sucking off the sugary substance. Expecting Killian to watch her, she's kind of disappointed when he doesn't. Licking the whipped cream off her finger is a foolproof tactic that always garners the guy's attention no matter what. But apparently not with Killian. Instead, he leans his elbows on the table and looks around like he's afraid Ruby will suddenly pop into the diner at any moment.
This is going to be harder than she originally speculated.
"Look, if it really bothers you to be here, we can go somewhere else," she sighs in retreat.
"No, it's fine," he says gloomily. "It's just…" His words trail off and the earlier despair she'd witnessed on his face reappears. "This is where Ruby and I met," he explains with a sad smile. "I came here after moving into my new apartment all day and she was my waitress." His eyes shine with unshed tears as he recalls the night he met her like it were yesterday. "I'd had the worst day; nothing went as it was supposed to. But when I sat down at this exact booth, Ruby came over to me with the brightest smile on her face and she instantly cheered me up." A tear slips from Killian's eyes—a tear she could tell he was trying to fight back. "And um, we just hit it off. Her shift was ending soon, so after she clocked out, she sat across from me and we talked for hours."
More tears slide down his cheeks. "I'll never forget that night, no matter how much I want to forget it. No matter how much the image of seeing her with…" He pauses, his hands fisting on the table, his teeth gritting, "with my best friend." An unexpected sob escapes him as he drops his face in his hands, and Emma scans the diner, wondering if anyone heard, but only a few customers glance over and then return their attention to either their food or the person sitting in front of them.
When Killian cries into his palms, Emma's heart breaks for him. He really liked Ruby—or loved; she doesn't really know—but she could sense how torn up he was over being cheated on by her. His cries become louder and his body jerks and trembles as inhuman sounds wretch from his throat. Emma's heart is gripped with emotion; she can feel the sadness he's expressing from across the table. She hates seeing him like this, and it has nothing to do with the show he's displaying for the diner patrons.
Responding on instinct, she jumps from her seat, hurries to his side of the booth, and sits next to him, rubbing his back in soothing circles. She looks around, giving the customers who are staring a slight, apologetic smile. Normally she would never dream of sitting on the same side of the table with someone while the seat across from them is empty, but this is one of those rare exceptions.
Killian takes her off guard when he thrusts his head against her chest and winds his arms around her, sobbing into her shirt. Emma's eyes widen in shock as she brings both hands to his back, one giving him a gentle pat. Other than that, she has no idea what to do. What do you tell someone you just met that will make them feel better when they're sobbing uncontrollably? She can't tell him everything will be okay, can she?
She peers down at him, wondering how things escalated so quickly. She'd brought him to this diner specifically so the memories of Ruby would unleash the emotions he hasn't yet expressed, hoping he would open up to her. She expected a current and maybe a little mist, but she didn't expect the fucking dams to break.
Emma's blouse and chest become damp from his tears as she cards a hand through his hair, feeling him tremble in her arms. She had unfastened the first few buttons a while ago, so her chest is soaked too, and his head is cradled just above her breasts.
Not that she's complaining.
Emma gently turns her head to look for Ashley, not wanting her to freak out over seeing him break down like he is, and when she sees their waitress approaching, she whispers to Killian, "Ashley's coming over here."
He sniffles and lifts his head, wiping the tears from his face and whispering a thanks.
Emma picks up a wrapped silverware set and removes the napkin, offering it to Killian.
"Bloody hell, love. I'm so sorry," he mumbles in apology as he wipes his tears with the napkin.
Ashley arrives at their table, dropping off the plate of pancakes. "Strawberry cheesecake pancakes with extra everything. Anything else I can get—" She pauses when she catches Killian's face. "Are you okay?"
He nods and wipes under his eyes with the napkin. "Aye. I'm fine. Just got something in my eye is all."
"Uh-huh," she says, obviously not believing him. And judging by the stink-eye Ashley's giving her, Emma can tell she doesn't believe she and Killian are only friends.
"He'll be fine once he eats his pancakes," Emma assures her.
"All right, well, let me know if there's anything else you need," she says directly to Killian.
"Thanks, lass," he murmurs, staring blankly at his plate. After Ashley leaves, Emma grabs a fork, scoops up a bit of pancake and brings it to his lips. "Here, try a bite." She thinks he might refuse it, but instead, he reluctantly opens his mouth, allowing her to feed him.
Wow, this is the weirdest date she's ever been on.
If you can even call it a date.
Surprisingly, he chews the food in his mouth and licks his lips.
Oh my.
Emma has to look away and clench her thighs, trying to rid the thoughts of other things he could be doing with that tongue. Specifically, things he could be doing to her.
"You were right, love. These pancakes are actually making me feel better."
His statement throws her for a loop, and she whips her head toward him, lifting a brow. "Really?"
He offers a small smile. "A little." He takes the fork from her and stabs at another piece. "But I'll probably stop feeling better once it's gone, so maybe you could ask Ashley to keep the pancakes coming?"
Emma manages a small laugh. "I don't think that's a good idea. You'll end up feeling worse than you already do."
He frowns. "I don't think that's possible."
Emma sighs into her hot cocoa and takes a sip.
Yep, she certainly has her work cut out for her.
Emma tries to change the subject by asking what his favorite bands are, but then he veers right back into the subject of Ruby when he recalls how he went to her place to return her things, which included her CDs. He mentions it because he also had his CDs at her place, but she refused to hand them over until he was willing to let her talk. But he didn't want to talk. He just wanted to get his things and leave, but instead, he stayed and argued with her until they were both blue in the face.
Nevertheless, Emma gives him her undivided attention as he rambles on, so he feels comfortable enough to open up to her.
When he finishes the pancakes, he was right about feeling miserable again and tries to order more. Emma pays the bill before he can, and has to drag him out of the diner.
"Are you okay with driving home?" she asks when they return to the bar.
"Aye. Another benefit of having pancakes instead of rum is I can't get drunk from pancakes."
"Well, unless they were rum pancakes," she points out.
His eyes light up with curiosity, and Emma gets the feeling she's created a monster. "Rum pancakes? Do they make those?"
She laughs. "Not sure, but I think the best thing to do now is sleep."
He frowns. "I don't know if I can. Every time I close my eyes, I picture her with him, and I can't…" His voice cracks, and his eyes well with tears again.
Emma's heart breaks. She knew he was torn up, but she really had no idea just how torn up he was. The old pancake trick didn't work, all it did was make him want more pancakes, so she knows she'll have to resort to drastic measures. Emma grabs his hand and hauls him down the sidewalk.
"Where are we going, love?"
"You obviously need to release some major stress, and I know the perfect place where you can do that."
Thankfully, he doesn't argue—she doesn't think he has enough energy to argue with her if he wanted to—and soon they're standing in front of a building with a big sign above the door that reads, "Break Room Therapy" in bold blue letters and features an illustration of a pair of crossed sledgehammers.
Killian furrows his brows. "What is this place?"
Emma's mouth falls open in shock. "I thought you lived in Storybrooke, and yet you've never been here?"
He shakes his head. "I see this place all the time but never knew what it really was. I always see women going in here, so I didn't think it was a place for a lad like myself."
Emma shakes her head. "This is a place we can go where no one will think we're crazy if we break some shit, but it's not just for women. We're not the only ones who need to let off some steam sometimes."
He cocks a brow. "Break some shit? What kind of shit?"
Emma smirks and opens the door for him, gesturing inside. "That's for me to know and for you to find out."
He's hesitant, but steps inside and she follows behind him. They approach the desk where her friend, Archie, is sitting, his face buried in a book. His office has the appearance of a typical break room, a collection of Star Wars Funko Pops on his desk, a water cooler and a life-sized statue of baby Yoda standing on a mini-fridge and holding a sign that reads, "Welcome to Break Room Therapy."
"Appointments only," Archie says as he lifts his eyes from his book to greet the incoming customers. His lips form a big smile when he sees Emma. "Oh, hi Emma. My apologies, I didn't realize it was you," he says, setting the book down and rising from his seat.
"Hey, Archie," she greets with a smile.
"Back again so soon, I see?"
Emma nods. "Uh, yeah, but not for me. She grabs Killian's arm who has his hands shoved in his pockets, still standing by the door with an awkward look on his face. "This is my friend, Killian. He needs to use one of your rooms."
"Oh, right, of course." He gestures toward the chairs in front of the desk. "Please have a seat."
Killian still looks unsure, but complies anyway, slumping into a chair next to Emma as Archie reclaims his seat across from them.
"So what brings you in tonight?" he asks Killian.
"He got cheated on by his girlfriend," Emma answers when she suspects Killian doesn't want to.
His face clouds with sorrow as Archie's saddens. "I'm so sorry to hear that. Well, this is the right place for you, then."
Killian furrows his brows and looks around. "What exactly is this place?"
Archie exchanges a look with Emma before returning his attention to Killian. "This is a place where you can release some of that pent up anger you're feeling right now." Archie looks at Emma. "Will you be joining him?"
She nods. "Yes, please."
He prints some papers and gives Killian and Emma both a copy, pointing out for Killian with a pen where to sign and date.
Killian scans over the forms, his forehead wrinkled in confusion as he reads a line out loud. "I hereby consent to medical treatment, which may be advisable in the event of an injury?" He looks up from the document, his face awash with confusion. "Why would I need medical treatment?"
Archie casually waves a hand. "Oh, don't worry…as long as you follow the rules and wear the protective gear properly, you should be completely fine."
The furrow in Killian's brows deepens. "Why would I need protective gear?"
"To protect yourself so you don't get broken shards in your eyes or skin, of course."
Killian's eyes flicker with panic. "Why would I have to worry about that?"
"Just sign it, Killian," Emma huffs in irritation as she hands Archie her signed papers.
He puts up a hand of dismissal. "Now, now, Emma. Killian must consent to the terms voluntarily."
"This is supposed to help me feel better?" Killian asks, still uncertain about this entire thing.
"Yes, just trust me. I come here all the time to release stress. It works like a charm. And it's a lot of fun."
Killian considers her words and scans over the documents once more before scribbling his signature. "Fine. I can't possibly feel worse than I do already." He hands Archie the signed papers.
"That's the spirit," Emma chants, clapping her hands.
"Excellent," Archie says with a grin. "Let's get you suited up."
They rise, and Archie leads them to the equipment and protective gear. After some quick instructions, he asks them which weapons they prefer.
With each of them wearing a face shield, Killian holding a sledgehammer and Emma carrying a baseball bat, they head to one of the rooms.
"Have a smashing good time," Archie quips and closes the door, standing outside the caged window to monitor and take pictures. The walls are made of OSB and the floor is marked up with black duct tape. There's a round table in the center of the room with a flatscreen computer monitor situated upright.
"After you," Emma says, gesturing toward the monitor.
Killian looks at her, still unsure. "I just smash it?"
She gives a nod. "You just smash it."
Killian raises the hammer into the air with both hands, and with a shaky breath, he strikes the monitor with hesitant force, barely making a dent.
"Come on, Killian, you can do better than that. Just think about how angry Ruby made you when you saw her fucking your best friend. Just let yourself feel that rage and release it." Before Emma's done speaking, he smashes the computer again with a more powerful force than before.
"That's it. Just let it out!" she encourages.
So he does. He turns the monitor over, so the screen is facing the ceiling, and strikes it with the sledgehammer, smashing the screen with a groan. He shatters the rest of the glass into a million pieces, much like Ruby did to his heart. But he doesn't stop there; he strikes the computer over and over and over again until it's nothing but a mangled and mutilated piece of scrap.
He has to pause to steady his breathing.
"Feel better?" she asks with a laugh.
"Actually, yes, that does feel quite good. What's next?"
"Easy, tiger. It's my turn." Emma sets down the bat, grabs a plate from the crate of breakable items and tosses it across the room, the dish shattering into the wall with a satisfying smash. Killian follows suit and sets down the hammer to pick up a glass bottle, tossing it at the wall, watching as it disintegrates into a thousand tiny pieces.
A hint of a smile appears on his lips. "This is fun, love."
"I told you." She tosses another plate against the wall like a frisbee.
They each take turns, smashing items with a sledgehammer or bat, or throwing them against the wall, the room filled with sounds of heavy panting, grunts and glass breaking or plastic being obliterated. While Killian releases the whirlwind of emotions resulting from his breakup and takes out his rage for Ruby and Victor on electronic equipment, Emma takes hers out on multiple dishes for having to lie to Killian, and for feeling pressured by her best friend and Ruby to do this job in the first place. She's spent a lot of time in this same room, but most of the time she acts out the rage she will always feel for the bastard she married and trusted before he broke her heart into a million pieces.
When they've gone through all the items in the crate, they both have to catch their breaths, adrenaline pumping through them, Emma's heart pounding mercilessly in her chest. For acts that may seem so violent, smashing items with someone else feels very intimate and exhilarating for reasons she can't really explain. They both expressed a side of each other they don't normally show.
"Wow, that was…" he breathes, wiping the sweat from his brow.
"A good way to work off those pancakes while releasing some steam at the same time, huh?"
"Aye, it really was," he chuckles.
They leave the room and remove their protective gear.
"Thanks, Archie, that was a blast...or should I say, smash!" Emma quips.
"Aye, thank you," Killian says to him appreciatively. "That actually helped a lot."
Archie grins. "Good, I'm glad. Come back anytime." He waves at them as they head out the door.
"Wow, that really was therapeutic," Killian says as they reach her car, both of them facing each other. "Thank you for bringing me there. And for the pancakes."
"Of course. What are friends for?" she adds with a wink.
"No, really, I mean it," he says sincerely. "I felt like complete shit tonight and you managed to make me smile and laugh and feel like myself again."
She waves off his words. "It was nothing. I'm just glad you feel better than you did."
"I do, thanks to you."
"Killian—" she attempts in a tone that is meant to tell him he really doesn't have to thank her.
"Seriously, Emma, I could kiss you right now," he chuckles. "I mean, I haven't felt this good in a long time."
Emma gulps as she stares at his lips, wondering what they would feel like if he did kiss her. She immediately squashes the thought and lifts her eyes to gaze into those crystal blue orbs. "Well, I'm happy to help."
Killian steps into her space and raises a hand to her face. Her breath catches when his thumb caresses her cheek. She thinks he might actually kiss her. "Do you believe in fate?"
His question throws her for a loop and she opens her mouth, uttering a nonsensical sound as she tries to figure out how to respond to that. "Um, no, not really."
"Well, I do. I believe we were destined to meet."
Guilt flares inside Emma, her throat closing up. If only he knew this wasn't destiny or fate or a fortunate stroke of serendipity. Well, meeting him at the elevator a couple of months ago was a sheer coincidence, but tonight was pre-orchestrated, and not by the universe; it was planned by her, and if he found out, she doubts he would want anything to do with her. It pains her to know he'll hate her guts after this is all over. But she won't blame him one bit.
Before she gets the chance to respond, he leans in and kisses her cheek.
All the air leaves her lungs when his lips touch her skin, her brain becomes mush and she closes her eyes, trying not to dissolve into a puddle.
"Can I see you again?" he asks, his voice cracking, a hopeful glint in his eyes.
"But if us meeting each other was actually part of some predetermined plan, then wouldn't we run into each other again without having to make plans?"
He chuckles. "Perhaps." He becomes quiet as his eyes grow serious. "But maybe I'm not willing to take that chance."
Her throat becomes dry as sandpaper. She was not expecting an answer like that. He's the one who brought up the possibility of fate being on their side, yet he's not willing to take the chance he's wrong. Even though he knows where she works and where her friends live.
Now she knows why Ruby fell for him. Well, she kind of already figured it out, but now she knows it was more than just his charming good looks, his boyish grin or his penis size.
"Um, yeah. Okay," she answers against her better judgment. This is all going faster than she'd expected. She meant to part ways without making plans, and instead run into him "accidentally" again, but now she's finding it impossible to deny his request. Besides, if they did run into each other "accidentally" then, for him, it would only solidify his belief that fate brought them together, and she'd feel horrible about that. Even more horrible than she already feels. "What exactly did you have in mind?"
He offers a sly grin, his tongue flirting with his lips. "That's for me to know and for you to find out."
She shakes her head and smiles. "Well played." She reaches out her hand. "Let me see your phone."
He takes it out and unlocks it before handing the device to her without hesitation.
She plugs in her phone number and sends herself a text so she'll recognize the number when he calls. She hands it back to him. "There, now you have my phone number, and I have yours."
"Thanks, love." He tucks his phone into the pocket of his jeans.
"Are you good to drive?"
He laughs. "Are you kidding? Smashing that computer sobered me up real quick. But I didn't have a lot to drink to begin with, thanks to you," he adds with a smirk.
She nods and feels her cheeks warm at the way he looks at her. "That's true."
He goes around her to open the driver's door. God, this guy really knows how to make a woman feel special, even one he's not dating.
"This isn't even a date and you're still a gentleman," she teases with a playful smirk.
"I'm always a gentleman," he says with a cheeky grin. A grin so cheeky, her heart staggers. "Goodnight, Emma. Thanks again for tonight."
"Night," she murmurs, her heart clenching at the thought of leaving him. When he shuts the door, their eyes are still locked through the window, and the door that separates them doesn't seem to help her at all, because her heart is pounding, and her breaths are shallow as his eyes pierce right through her.
He waves, and she waves back at him before starting her car. He finally turns and walks to his truck, his hands in his pockets as she watches him. Her heart squeezes in her chest when he increases the distance between them. She has to leave so he doesn't think she's just sitting there staring at him, which she definitely is.
She pulls away from the curb and drives away, hating herself for leaving him. But she has no idea why it hurts so much. She just met him a few hours ago. Well technically she met him a couple of months ago, but that's neither here nor there. The point is, this guy is already clawing his way inside her heart, trying to make a home there and making her second guess her decision to help Ruby out. Why is it the one time she finds a guy she actually likes, he has to be one of the guys she's trying to get back together with his girlfriend?
If destiny actually does exist, then it must be mocking her.
Or perhaps this job is destiny's way of helping her protect her own heart. Because if she can't have anything real with him, then she can't actually get hurt.
Right?
